Amusement apparatus



P 1938. G. HELLES'EN 2,129,470

AMUSEMENT APPARATUS Filed. March 10, 1957 s Shets-Sheet'l INVENTOR= LEJF GOSTA HELLESEN P 1933- LG. HEL'LESEN 2,129,470 AMUSEMENT APPARATUS Filed March 10, 1957 a Shets-Sheet 2 "INVENTOR GGSTA HELLESEN ATTORNEYS Sept; 6, 1938. G. HELLESEN AMUSEMENT APPARATUS 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed March 10, 1957 INVENTOR LEIF GSTA HELLLJESEN BMLQMMY ATTORNEY ing before the spectators.

"bowl with no spectators.

Patented Sept. 6,. 1938 UNITED STATES PATENT *O'FiF IiiCE 6 Claims.

This invention relates to amusement apparatus,

and is more particularly concernedwith public amusement apparatus of the type in which a bowl-like structure is arranged for rotation so i that persons entering the bowl may move up the interior sides thereof, being maintained against falling by-the action of centrifugal force.

"Amusement apparatus of the type'indicated is already known, but has had certain drawbacks.

Thus in'the usualwayif a gallery were arranged :forspectatorspersons would be unwilling to en- :ter the bowl due tothe embarrassment of appear- On the other hand it is not generally found profitable merelyto run the It will also be clear that where no arrangements are madefor spec- :tators, persons who are uncertain whether to enter the bowlwill have no opportunity of watch- .ing -first how otherpeople enjoy the amusement.

'Itis aprimary object of the invention to evolve anapparatus which will overcome the objections set forth above. According to the invention amusement apparatus comprises a bowl, aclosa- 'blelentrance into said bowl to allow persons to reach the interior thereof, driving means for :turning saidbowl about a vertical axis, at least one gallery for spectatorsarranged adjacent the upper part of the bowl, and means for allowing spectators to look into the bowl, said meanssimultaneously serving to prevent persons within the bowl from seeing the specators.

The annexed drawings illustrate several c'onstructional embodiments of the invention,

Figure 1 being a sectional elevation of an amusement apparatus intended for dismantling when desired,

Figure 2, a view similar to- Figure l of an embodiment of the invention intendedto be set up permanently,

Figure 3, a detail of part of the apparatus shown in Figure 2,

Figures '4 and 5, respectively a side elevation :and plan view of a device for aiding persons to is substantially vertical. ture 4 is arranged around the bowl, therebeing a roof 5. An annular platform 6 is arranged to support spectators, and a stairway 1 allows the with a similar pinionl l arranged-fordrivingmy an electric motor l5.

'to-project. ber 20 has a plurality of inserted frames ZZyeach without'feeling discomfort.

A light portable-strucplatform '6 to be reached fromnormalground level'indicated'at 8.

The bowl -I is arranged for rotation upon an annular trackway afforded by an H-s'ecti'onmemher 9 carried upon a bed-plate I0. Theun'derside of the bowl'has secured-toit a plurality 'ofrollersqo II which run on the trackway 9. "The centre-of the bowl is traversedby a shaft I? which carries a bevel pinion l3. 'Ihebevel pinioniS meshes 15 The sections of the bowl I are'bolt'ed together and further stayed with the aidof 'a' fiexible wire 'rope l6, and inone of the sections an aperture-is -formed-andis adapted to'be' closed'by a 'fdoor l'l supported on hinges i8; Ashort-stair- 20 wayl9'is arranged at one-side ofthe apparatus to allow persons to enter through'the doorway "I1. *Ihe upper sideof the bowl is 'clo'sed by'a roof member" 20'through which a'lamp2l is arranged Near its'periphery theroof-like'mem- 25 frame receiving asheet of semi-transparent'mirror-glass "23. l

In the operation I of the described apparatus persons are-allowed to enter the bowl through, 30 the'doorway I1, and persons may also ascend-the stairway I and stand or sit around upon-the platform 6. There isno' lighting-in the spectators gallery, or if there be lighting it is subdued. However, within the bowl there is the lamp zl which,. 5 throws considerable light over the interior of the bowl. 'It will be understoodthat since there is a greater lighting intensity at the interior-of the bowl, the spectators will beable to see through the semi-transparent glass windows 23, but such- 1 windows will act as mirrors when viewed from the interior of the bowl. The persons entering through the door l'lwill thus be unableto see the spectators. The 'bowl I is set in motion through the intermediary of'the geartrain I' l, I3 driven by the motor 15. The door [1 is closed once the persons are within the bowl and the latter has been 'setin rotation. The action of centrifugal force will cause persons within the bowl to be moved outwards towards'the upwardly 5 curving walls of the latter. As the speed of the bowl increases the persons within will -beable to mount the sloping walls and :will even beable to assume-a position approaching the horizontal the whole apparatus, it is preferable to make at least the bowl thereof from aluminium.

It will be appreciated that the upper part of the bowl may if so desired be left open. In Figure 1, there is illustrated in chain dotted lines an upward extension E on the bowl. The extension -E may have inserts of semi-transparent mirror darkened so as to prevent too great a lighting intensity in the upper structure. As an alternative to the methods of driving the bowl indicated above, a transportable power unit may be located at the side thereof, and belting employed for the power transmission.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent in the United States is:

1. Amusement apparatus comprising a bowl, a closable entrance into said bowl to allow persons to reach the interior thereof, driving means for turning said bowl about a vertical axis, at least one gallery for spectators arranged adjacent the upper part of the bowl, and means for allowing spectators to look into the bowl, said means simultaneously serving to prevent persons within the bowl, from seeing the spectators.

2. Amusement apparatus comprising a bowl, at least one closable entrance to said bowl to allow persons to enter therein, driving means for turning said bowl about a vertical axis, at least one gallery for spectators arranged adjacent the upper side of the bowl, a screen arranged between the spectators gallery and the bowl, said screen having inserts of semi-transparent glass so that persons within the bowl cannot see the spectators whereas the spectators can see said persons.

3. Amusement apparatus comprising a bowl, at least one'blosable entrance to allow persons to enter therein, means for turning said bowl about a vertical axis, at least one gallery for spectators arranged adjacent the upper side of said bowl, a roof member closing the upper side of the bowl, peripheral inserts of semi-transparent mirror glass in said roof member, and lighting means arranged to illuminate the interior of the bowl so that persons therein cannot see through said inserts which are, however, transparent to said spectators.

4. Amusement apparatus comprising a bowl, at least one closable entrance to said bowl to allow persons to enter therein, means for turning the bowl about a vertical axis, at least one gallery for spectators arranged adjacent the upper end of the bowl and arranged to rotate therewith, and means to allow the spectators to view the interior of the bowl without, however, being visible to the occupants thereof.

5. Amusement apparatus comprising a bowl, at least one closable entrance to allow persons to enter therein, means for driving the said. bowl about a vertical axis, at least one gallery for spectators arranged adjacent the upper side of said bowl and arranged to turn therewith, seats for the spectators in said gallery, pivotal supports for such seats whereby the spectators swing inwardly when the gallery turns with the bowl, and means for allowing the spectators to view the interior of the bowl without, however, being visible to the occupants thereof.

6. Amusement apparatus comprising a bowl,

at least one closable entrance to allow persons to enter therein, means for rotating said bowl about a vertical axis, at least one gallery for spectators arranged adjacent the upper side of the bowl and arranged to rotate therewith, a closure member for the upper side of said bowl, said closure member having peripheral inserts of semi-transparent mirror glass, and lighting means to illuminate the interior of the bowl so that persons therein cannot observe the spectators whilst the spectators may view the interior of the bowl.

LEIF GCisTA HELLESEN. 

